Blade: VG-MAX high-carbon stainless-steel, damascus clad

Handle: Contoured pakka-wood.

Japanese chef knives are brittle and are designed for cutting soft tissue foods. Carbon steel chef knives can rust if not kept dry.

Your chef’s knife will probably be the most-used knife in your kitchen. If you’re like most cooks, you’ll want to find the one that feels like an extension of your arm. The beautiful Shun Premier knife could be the one for you. This breathtaking knife is lightweight, agile, and offers an extremely comfortable grip. In fact, Shun Premier's thinner blades makes this chef’s knife lighter and less tiring to use than comparable European-style chef's knives. The razor-sharp edge is perfect for slicing, dicing, and chopping a full range of fruits, vegetables, and other foods. The wide blade keeps knuckles off the cutting board and comes in extra handy when transferring cut food from board to pan. With its curved belly, the Chef's knife can be gently rocked through fresh herbs or spices to produce a very fine mince.

The Shun Premier knife is part of the beautiful Shun Premier line, which calls to mind the hand-forged knives of ancient Japan. While each knife still takes at least 100 handcrafted steps to complete, the materials Shun uses are among the most advanced in the industry. Each blade has a cutting core of Shun's proprietary VG-MAX “super steel” to take and hold a precision edge. The layered Damascus cladding supports the core and provides additional stain resistance. Near the edge of the blade, where the steels meet, an undulating line is formed—similar to the hamon formed when samurai swords are tempered using a traditional clay-baking technique. The hammered tsuchime finish acts like a series of hollow-ground cavities to reduce drag. The handles nestle comfortably in the hand, while the embossed end cap adds balance and beauty.